For athletes participating in distance running events, hydration during the event is mostly carried out while the athlete is still running. A water station is often established to present a plurality of filled cups so that the athletes may grab a cup of water or sports/electrolyte drink as they run past the station.
With conventional drinking cups, runners at hydration stations cannot easily drink out of traditional paper cups without spilling the liquid contents carried therein due to the large diameter of the top opening. To compensate, runners will often crush the sides of the cup together to collapse the opening in an effort to avoid spilling when the liquid contents are transferred from cup to mouth. When doing this, the runner may lose their grip on the cup and drop it. In competitive events, the runner will not want to stop or return to the hydration station. This may result in a de-hydration for the runner during the race until they reach the next hydration station.
As can be understood, there is a need for an improved drinking cup for hydration during athletic events, especially in longer events such as marathons, ultra-marathons and triathlons.